"Our mum"

Our mum was admitted to the QMC Hospital 13 days ago. We understand the visiting restrictions in place and were told that 1 family member could call for updates. We tried this for a few days and to date we have had 1 call back with an update. Luckily we bought a PAYG mobile for our mum knowing how difficult in can be to actually try to speak to her. This has been a god send.

Last night at 10pm we had a text message from NHS Track and Trace saying our mum had tested positive for Covid so we rang the ward to check she was ok. The nurse said yes your mum has been told and she is ok, we are going to move her to a covid ward (it is now after 10pm). 

We then rang our mum who was in fact fast asleep and had no idea that she has now tested positive. We felt it better not to break the news to her as we were worried she would be alone and upset.

We contacted the ward again to explain that we had jut spoken to our mum and she had not been told the news. The nurse shouted do you know how busy we are? It wouldn't be very professional of us to wake a sleeping patient!! I asked for the nurses name so I could make a note of who I had spoken too, to be shouted at angrily who am I speaking to?

After trying to explain we were simply worried that our mum may be upset and worried about testing positive  after she is already quite frail and unwell it was suggested that she was left to sleep. However I had already disturbed her un necessarily because I had been given the wrong information and this upset could have all been avoided.

We understand how busy the staff and we do not wish to add to their work load but I would like them to recognise how upsetting, difficult and worrying it is for families not being able to visit their loved ones - if they could just ask themselves how would I feel if that were my mum, dad, brother, sister, friend.